Alert archive / Illinois / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 237, NWS St. Louis, MO
NWS St. Louis, MO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 16, 2026, 11:59 AM CDT for Adams County, Pike County, Illinois. It was in force for 46 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- Aug 16, 2026, 11:59 AM CDT (16:59 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 16, 2026, 12:45 PM CDT
- In force
- 46 min
- Issued by
- NWS St. Louis, MO
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Hail
- 0.88 in
- Wind
- 60.0 mph
Counties Adams County, IL, Pike County, IL
The radar
The St Louis radar (KLSX), 111 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:03 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
Did it verify
Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.
Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.
The nearest sounding before it
Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 5.0 hours before the alert went out and 192 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 543 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -47 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 966 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 22 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 112 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 109 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.6
The text
As transmitted.
703
WUUS53 KLSX 161659
SVRLSX
ILC001-149-161745-
/O.NEW.KLSX.SV.W.0237.260816T1659Z-260816T1745Z/
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service St Louis MO
1159 AM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026
The National Weather Service in St Louis has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Pike County in west central Illinois...
Southeastern Adams County in west central Illinois...
* Until 1245 PM CDT.
* At 1159 AM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Barry, or 12
miles northwest of Pittsfield, moving east at 40 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
* Locations impacted include...
Pittsfield, Barry, Griggsville, Beverly, Kingston, Independence,
Bedford, Montezuma, Hull, Martinsburg, Richfield, Perry, New
Canton, Milton, Plainville, Kinderhook, Baylis, Chambersburg,
Pearl, and New Salem.
This includes Interstate 72 between exits 10 and 35.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
&&
LAT...LON 3983 9057 3979 9060 3976 9061 3971 9065
3969 9065 3964 9061 3954 9057 3946 9061
3958 9117 3960 9118 3962 9123 3982 9122
3984 9057
TIME...MOT...LOC 1659Z 268DEG 36KT 3968 9101
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH
$$
Elmore3 follow-up statements
759
WWUS53 KLSX 161710
SVSLSX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service St Louis MO
1210 PM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026
ILC001-149-161745-
/O.CON.KLSX.SV.W.0237.000000T0000Z-260816T1745Z/
Pike IL-Adams IL-
1210 PM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1245 PM CDT
FOR PIKE AND SOUTHEASTERN ADAMS COUNTIES IN WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...
At 1209 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Pittsfield,
moving east at 45 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
Locations impacted include...
Pittsfield, Barry, Griggsville, Beverly, Kingston, Independence,
Bedford, Montezuma, Martinsburg, Perry, New Canton, Milton, Baylis,
Chambersburg, Pearl, New Salem, Detroit, El Dara, Florence, and Time.
This includes Interstate 72 between exits 20 and 35.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
&&
LAT...LON 3983 9057 3979 9060 3976 9061 3971 9065
3969 9065 3964 9061 3954 9057 3946 9061
3956 9110 3982 9106 3984 9057
TIME...MOT...LOC 1709Z 267DEG 37KT 3969 9084
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH
$$
Elmore280
WWUS53 KLSX 161721
SVSLSX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service St Louis MO
1221 PM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026
ILC001-161730-
/O.CAN.KLSX.SV.W.0237.000000T0000Z-260816T1745Z/
Adams IL-
1221 PM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026
...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN ADAMS COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...
The severe thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out of
the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.
&&
LAT...LON 3983 9057 3979 9060 3976 9061 3971 9065
3969 9065 3964 9061 3954 9057 3946 9061
3952 9092 3983 9091 3984 9057
TIME...MOT...LOC 1720Z 268DEG 36KT 3969 9069
$$
ILC149-161745-
/O.CON.KLSX.SV.W.0237.000000T0000Z-260816T1745Z/
Pike IL-
1221 PM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1245 PM CDT
FOR EASTERN PIKE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...
At 1220 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Griggsville,
or 8 miles northeast of Pittsfield, moving east at 40 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
Locations impacted include...
Pittsfield, Griggsville, Independence, Bedford, Montezuma,
Martinsburg, Perry, Milton, Baylis, Chambersburg, Pearl, New Salem,
Detroit, Florence, Time, Valley City, New Hartford, Fishhook, and
Summer Hill.
This includes Interstate 72 between exits 31 and 35.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
&&
LAT...LON 3983 9057 3979 9060 3976 9061 3971 9065
3969 9065 3964 9061 3954 9057 3946 9061
3952 9092 3983 9091 3984 9057
TIME...MOT...LOC 1720Z 268DEG 36KT 3969 9069
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH
$$
Elmore479
WWUS53 KLSX 161739
SVSLSX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service St Louis MO
1239 PM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026
ILC149-161749-
/O.EXP.KLSX.SV.W.0237.000000T0000Z-260816T1745Z/
Pike IL-
1239 PM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026
...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR EASTERN PIKE COUNTY IN WEST
CENTRAL ILLINOIS WILL EXPIRE AT 1245 PM CDT...
The severe thunderstorm which prompted the warning has weakened and
moved out of the warned area. Therefore, the warning will be allowed
to expire.
&&
LAT...LON 3983 9057 3979 9060 3976 9061 3971 9065
3969 9065 3964 9061 3954 9057 3946 9061
3952 9092 3983 9091 3984 9057
TIME...MOT...LOC 1739Z 268DEG 36KT 3970 9044
$$
ElmoreWhat forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS St. Louis, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Aug 16, 7:12 AM CDT, 4 hours 47 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Showers and thunderstorms will produce pockets of heavy rain north of I-70 this morning, with some localized flooding possible. Another round of showers and thunderstorms is possible (30-50%) further south late this afternoon and evening, with a limited potential for damaging wind gusts, locally heavy rain, and a brief weak tornado or two.
- Dangerous heat continues in areas roughly along/south of I-70 today, but widespread relief is expected tomorrow.
- Another round of showers and thunderstorms is increasingly likely (40-70%) Tuesday night through early Wednesday.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 16, 7:12 AM CDT, 4 hours 47 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service St Louis MO
712 AM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Showers and thunderstorms will produce pockets of heavy rain
north of I-70 this morning, with some localized flooding
possible. Another round of showers and thunderstorms is
possible (30-50%) further south late this afternoon and
evening, with a limited potential for damaging wind gusts,
locally heavy rain, and a brief weak tornado or two.
- Dangerous heat continues in areas roughly along/south of I-70
today, but widespread relief is expected tomorrow.
- Another round of showers and thunderstorms is increasingly
likely (40-70%) Tuesday night through early Wednesday.
&&
.SHORT TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/...
Issued at 333 AM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026
Much like the past few nights in a row, nocturnal convection is
beginning to develop across northern and central Missouri, largely
driven by a modest low level jet overriding a stalled surface front.
Once again, a corridor of very high moisture exists along this
boundary within an area of low level convergence (albeit slightly
less than yesterday), with storm motions parallel to the front.
While precipitable water values are slightly less extreme than
yesterday when they were near all-time records, there is still a
corridor of 2 to 2.25 inch PWATs, which is comfortably above the
95th percentile and supportive of very heavy rain rates. Meanwhile,
ample MUCAPE also exists (2000-2500 J/kg), although effective wind
shear is rather marginal (20-25kt). As the morning progresses,
showers and thunderstorms with 1-2+ inch rain rates will gradually
expand and move slowly eastward, producing streaks of soaking rain.
While we don't quite expect enough coverage to result in widespread
Flash Flooding, there is at least the potential for localized issues
wherever multiple cells move over the same locations. This initial
activity is likely to persist into the mid-morning hours, when the
waning low level jet should limit surface convergence and new
updrafts.
During the day today, a cold front is finally set to start moving
slowly southward, driven by a a passing shortwave in the Great Lakes
and potentially remnant outflow. By mid/late afternoon, this
boundary should be approaching the I-44 corridor, and as a result,
some heat relief is expected slightly further south than has been
observed over the past few days. As such, we have opted to remove
Audrain/Ralls/Pike MO from the ongoing Heat Advisory, but in other
areas, one last day of dangerous heat and humidity can be expected.
This will almost certainly allow the remaining heat headlines to
expire on time today, with much more moderate temperatures expected
across most of the area tomorrow.
In addition to heat relief, this weak cold front may also provide a
loose focus for additional shower and thunderstorm development this
afternoon and evening, although it may be that that main driver of
new storms ends up being a remnant MCV arriving from the west around
this time. Latest high resolution model guidance has really latched
onto this feature, and it appears to be emanating from an ongoing
thunderstorm complex currently moving through north-central Kansas.
While ambient wind shear will be relatively meager still this
afternoon (~25kt of 0-6km bulk shear), MCVs tend to locally enhance
the shear profile, and it will also be arriving late in the
afternoon when instability is near its peak. As such, it wouldn't be
out of the question to see resurgent thunderstorm activity driven by
the MCV, with at least some potential for damaging wind gusts or
even a brief tornado due to the aforementioned local shear
enhancement. Exactly where this would occur is highly uncertain, but
would be favored along and south of the advancing front, generally
from the I-70 corridor and points south from late this afternoon
through late evening. Even if this MCV fizzles out before it
arrives, scattered showers and thunderstorms may also simply develop
along/ahead of the cold front itself, also.
Overnight, this activity will push south and east out of the region.
As mentioned previously, this should spread near and even slightly
below average temperatures into the area, allowing the ongoing Heat
Advisory/Warning to expire on time. While we may still flirt with
100 degree heat indices across the Ozarks, this should not be enough
to maintain headlines in these areas another day. Meanwhile,
tomorrow should also be dry thanks to a modified post-frontal
airmass, leading to a pleasant day for most of the region.
&&
.LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
Issued at 333 AM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026
On Tuesday, weak southerly low level flow is expected to resume as a
cold front slowly approaches from the north, driven by a more
substantial trough digging into the Great Lakes. While we don't
expect strong warm-air advection and moisture return, this should be
enough for a modest northward rebound of warmer temperatures Tuesday
afternoon, although with the modified airmass still in place, we
don't expect that this will be enough to reach Advisory level heat
locally. Instead, expect temperatures near or slightly above
average, the latter generally across the Ozarks, and dry conditions
during the day. While we don't expect storms to develop during the
day, there has been a persistent signal for showers/thunderstorms to
develop along the advancing front across Iowa, which then advance
south southeastward into our area later in the evening and
overnight. This may pose at least a limited threat for strong or
severe thunderstorms Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, with a
preference for our northern areas given the late arrival of this
activity, although this will depend on how thunderstorms evolve as
they move further and further south after dark.
Chances for showers and thunderstorms also continue into Wednesday
and possibly even Thursday, although much will depend on how quickly
the passing cold front surges south and out of the area. Medium
range guidance does hint at additional shortwaves moving through the
area during this time frame, and if the boundary is on the slower
side, it wouldn't be out of the question to see additional rounds of
showers and thunderstorms late Wednesday into Thursday, more likely
than not as elevated storms as the low level jet overrides a slowly
advancing or or stalled surface front. Meanwhile, confidence
continues to increase that even after a modest temperature rebound
Tuesday, this reinforcing front will drive milder temperatures back
into the area Wednesday through the end of the week.
&&
.AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/...
Issued at 707 AM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026
While VFR categories are expected to prevail today, scattered
showers and thunderstorms may periodically impact terminals,
first in the morning, and again late this afternoon and evening.
Showers and a few thunderstorms are already ongoing nearby
COU/JEF, and this is expected to continue for another couple of
hours before diminishing. Stronger thunderstorms are possible in
the afternoon, but confidence in the location of these storms
and whether local terminals will be impacted is lower overall.
Damaging winds and heavy rain will be the most likely hazards
with these storms should they impact the terminal. These should
largely end at all terminals prior to 06Z.
BRC
&&
.LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...Heat Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for MOZ035-036-042-
052.
Extreme Heat Warning until 9 PM CDT this evening for MOZ041-
047>051-059>065-072>075-084-085-099.
IL...Heat Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for ILZ058>060-064-
065-098-099.
Extreme Heat Warning until 9 PM CDT this evening for ILZ069-
070-074-079-100>102.
&&
SHORT TERM...BRC
LONG TERM...BRC
AVIATION...BRCNearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Illinois, 2026Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2026
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.